Read Online A Shepherd's Calling (What Comes After Book 2) by Peter Carrier - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Peter Carrier
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slim to none. Camping a place he's likely to visit seems a better alternative. That structure best fits his desired criteria for shelter, especially if the woman and the boy are with him. So that's the one we'll watch.” Vargas paused while the two men separated, moving around either side of a tree. “We'll see if there's any other actionable intelligence our 'adviser' can offer, take another look at the file, and come up with an alternative. Just in case. But I've got a feeling we're on the right track, here.”
The Sergeant nodded. “We'll keep our fingers crossed then, Major.”
“ I'd rather you didn't,” the officer said.
“ Why's that, sir?” The larger man sounded confused.
“ Can't shoot with crossed fingers.”
4.8
Tom saw Toby trembling with barely contained fury. His sister looked none too happy, either. Chris and Ben were listening with what appeared to be rapt attention; appreciation on the face of the older man, anticipation on the face of the boy. Tom had empathy enough to understand the situation needed to be diffused, and soon. Now , Tom corrected himself. Soon will be too late .
He interrupted, raising his left hand as he did so. “Forgive me, Major. What I said earlier, about us having evaded a large group at that farm... It was only part of what happened. We escaped the farm and the Turned attacked it shortly thereafter. Immediately after we left, in fact.” He paused for effect. “Did you know we were clear of the area before you set the horde upon it?”
Tom saw Vargas' face tighten at the words, “escaped the farm”. Two things occurred to him, then. First, the Major had not known Tom and the others were safely away. He might not have known we were there at all , Tom thought. Secondly, the marine had wanted the farm to fall. Desperately. Perhaps passionately. The officer had not gloated, but he did sound very satisfied during the recounting. The same kind of satisfaction that had been in Davis' voice when the Corporal had all but encouraged his commanding officer to tell the story.
When the Major made his reply, Tom knew there was no stopping what would happen next. What must happen next. There was a terrific twist in his gut and his eyes began to throb. It seemed he watched everything from outside of his body, at a point just above the top of his head, and that he saw it a heartbeat before everyone else. Dread mounted with terrible weight in his throat and on his shoulders as he thought, The only thing to do now is wait. It's all over but the crying .
“ You were there?” The Major asked. “How is that even possible? We had the area under surveillance for twelve hours before we set the plan in motion. How did you-, when could you have come in?” The officer sounded surprised and frustrated.
Tom didn't answer. Even if he had intended to, Janessa would have beat him to it. “We got there just after sunup. Got out maybe twenty minutes later. They started coming into the clearing fifteen or so minutes after that.” Her scornful tone carried an unspoken message: but no biggie. You got what you wanted. Had your cake and ate it, too. That's all that matters, right?
The marine didn't respond. In fact, Tom felt Vargas was ignoring her. Her and everyone else who wasn't a marine or Tom. Feeling as though he were in some awful state of heightened awareness, he could not recall a single moment from this meeting or the previous one where the officer had even acknowledged the presence of anyone else.
The Major seemed taken aback. “Mr. DuPuis, allow me to apologize. I don't know how it's possible, but if you were on that farm when the ghouls came in, I am incredibly sorry. It was never our intent to place you in any danger, especially not deliberately and for such an ancillary goal.” If the man had more to say, it went unsaid in the face of another interruption.
Toby finally broke his silence. “So, let me get this straight: you and your boys watched us for half a day, then
The Sergeant nodded. “We'll keep our fingers crossed then, Major.”
“ I'd rather you didn't,” the officer said.
“ Why's that, sir?” The larger man sounded confused.
“ Can't shoot with crossed fingers.”
4.8
Tom saw Toby trembling with barely contained fury. His sister looked none too happy, either. Chris and Ben were listening with what appeared to be rapt attention; appreciation on the face of the older man, anticipation on the face of the boy. Tom had empathy enough to understand the situation needed to be diffused, and soon. Now , Tom corrected himself. Soon will be too late .
He interrupted, raising his left hand as he did so. “Forgive me, Major. What I said earlier, about us having evaded a large group at that farm... It was only part of what happened. We escaped the farm and the Turned attacked it shortly thereafter. Immediately after we left, in fact.” He paused for effect. “Did you know we were clear of the area before you set the horde upon it?”
Tom saw Vargas' face tighten at the words, “escaped the farm”. Two things occurred to him, then. First, the Major had not known Tom and the others were safely away. He might not have known we were there at all , Tom thought. Secondly, the marine had wanted the farm to fall. Desperately. Perhaps passionately. The officer had not gloated, but he did sound very satisfied during the recounting. The same kind of satisfaction that had been in Davis' voice when the Corporal had all but encouraged his commanding officer to tell the story.
When the Major made his reply, Tom knew there was no stopping what would happen next. What must happen next. There was a terrific twist in his gut and his eyes began to throb. It seemed he watched everything from outside of his body, at a point just above the top of his head, and that he saw it a heartbeat before everyone else. Dread mounted with terrible weight in his throat and on his shoulders as he thought, The only thing to do now is wait. It's all over but the crying .
“ You were there?” The Major asked. “How is that even possible? We had the area under surveillance for twelve hours before we set the plan in motion. How did you-, when could you have come in?” The officer sounded surprised and frustrated.
Tom didn't answer. Even if he had intended to, Janessa would have beat him to it. “We got there just after sunup. Got out maybe twenty minutes later. They started coming into the clearing fifteen or so minutes after that.” Her scornful tone carried an unspoken message: but no biggie. You got what you wanted. Had your cake and ate it, too. That's all that matters, right?
The marine didn't respond. In fact, Tom felt Vargas was ignoring her. Her and everyone else who wasn't a marine or Tom. Feeling as though he were in some awful state of heightened awareness, he could not recall a single moment from this meeting or the previous one where the officer had even acknowledged the presence of anyone else.
The Major seemed taken aback. “Mr. DuPuis, allow me to apologize. I don't know how it's possible, but if you were on that farm when the ghouls came in, I am incredibly sorry. It was never our intent to place you in any danger, especially not deliberately and for such an ancillary goal.” If the man had more to say, it went unsaid in the face of another interruption.
Toby finally broke his silence. “So, let me get this straight: you and your boys watched us for half a day, then
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